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Episode Five – Various Questions

Our fifth episode is a discussion of what is wrong with science today. As well as quantum theory, relativity, string theory and more. It takes a Q&A format, which is a thing we plan to do fairly regularly.

Episode Transcript

[Please note that this may not exactly match the audio. However, there should be no significant differences. Also note that the audio may be louder than previous episodes, so you might want to keep this in mind].

Welcome to episode five of the Metaphysics of Physics podcast. I am Ashna, your host and guide through the hallowed halls of the philosophy of science. Thanks for tuning in!

With this show, we are fighting for a more rational world, mostly by looking through the lens of the philosophy of science. We raise awareness of issues within the philosophy of science and present alternative and rational approaches.

You may want to subscribe via iTunes or any of our other subscription methods. You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter. You can do all of this from the show notes or the media player on the website, at metaphysicsofphysics.com.

Today we will go over some questions. Although we have not yet received many questions from our audience, we will go over some questions which you might have or we might be asked at some point. You may consider these “Frequently Anticipated Questions.”

We would like to answer questions actually sent in and do this kind of Q&A format more often. However, for that, we will need your questions! Please submit them on the website link provided or email them to [email protected]!

This set of questions is about the position of Metaphysics of Physics on some of the popular fields of science, specifically physics and the philosophy of science.

We are also going to start answering Quora questions on the show! Dwayne Davies, the founder and content creator of this show, has a Quora account and has answered several relevant questions already. Click here to go to his Quora profile and check out some of the answers to relevant Quora questions!

Ok, let’s get into it.

What do you think is the biggest threat to science today?

Bad philosophy. That is ultimately the biggest threat to pretty much anything. Ones fundamental philosophy determines whether or not they follow rational ideas and what kind of morality and convictions they hold.

A great deal of bad philosophy got started with this guy, Plato.

If one follows a rational philosophy, then it is likely that their ideas will be rational and their actions moral. If they follow irrational philosophies, they will hold irrational ideas and their actions will be morally questionable.

But, the question is about the biggest threat to science. And the answer is still “bad philosophy”. Why is this?

Well, one’s metaphysics and epistemology are key. If one believes in the primacy of an objective reality independent of the wishes and desires of the human mind, then they are more likely to approach science objectively and rationally.

If one believes that they can gain knowledge of reality, then they will probably do all they can to learn about reality.

If one believes that reality is unknowable, then they will not seek a full knowledge of reality and act as though at least some things are not knowable.

If one believes in the primacy of reality, then one knows that reality does not obey one’s wishes and that reality is not subject to consciousness. One does not maintain the metaphysical primacy of abstractions. That is one does not think that reality is explained by appealing to abstractions.